Spring city of China enchants foreign media professionals

Foreign media representatives toured Kunming's ecological and cultural sites on Thursday, experiencing the city's mix of natural landscapes and economic vibrancy in Yunnan Province.

Foreign media representatives assemble in the Baofeng wetland during the 2025 Belt and Road Media Workshop in Kunming, Yunnan Province, on Thursday, September 18, 2025. (Photo: People's Daily)

They were invited by the People's Daily as part of their participation in the 2025 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road.

Known as the "spring city," Kunming blends scenic landscapes with economic and cultural growth. Armand Essogo, director of the Douala branch of the Cameroon Tribune, said, "Much is being done here and much more should be known out of China."

Niulian village, once a small fishing community on the Dianchi Lake shoreline, has developed into a destination for countryside tourism.

Foreign media representatives tour Niulian village in Jinning District of Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province, on Thursday, September 18, 2025. (Photo: Kunming Daily/Zhao Wei)

Visitors can camp under the stars, join traditional bonfire dances or enjoy coffee next to workshops preserving the Bai ethnic group's jiama woodcut print tradition.

Since 2023, Kunming has selected 46 villages out of 183 settlements along the Dianchi shoreline for development initiatives focusing on infrastructure and industrial upgrades based on natural conditions. In 2024, these villages received more than 10 million visitors, generated 540 million yuan in business revenue and saw average income rise nearly 1,000 yuan per villager.

"Staying a friend of nature can give us the chance to enjoy the treasures of this beautiful nature," said Meriem Khadimallah, editor-in-chief of LaPresse.tn in Tunisia. "We must keep this spirit and encourage new generation to continue on these same steps."

Foreign media representatives scope the Baofeng wetland in Kunming, Yunnan Province, on Thursday, September 18, 2025. (Photo: People's Daily/Zhan Huilan)

Dianchi Lake, the largest freshwater lake on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, has improved in water quality and ecosystem health after heavy pollution, with the Baofeng wetland serving as a microcosm of restoration.

Covering about 108 hectares, the wetland hosts thousands of birds, including coots, egrets, herons, storks and rare species such as the glossy Ibis and nightingales. It also served as an outdoor exhibition site for COP15 in 2022.

Faruk Boric, executive director of the center for promotion and development of the Belt and Road Initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, said, "Nature preservation is necessary to have a better life, which is more than just development."

At the Kunming Urban Planning Exhibition Hall on the Dianchi Lake bank, the visitors explored how the city balances ecological preservation and economic growth.

Foreign media representatives explore the Kunming Urban Planning Exhibition Hall in Kunming, Yunnan Province, on Thursday, September 18, 2025. (Photo: Kunming Daily/Zhao Wei)

The exhibition hall features immersive digital exhibits and showcases products from key industries, offering insights into both past development and future urban trends.

The exhibition hall demonstrated the city's diversity across industries, Khadimallah said.

"It is in fact the harmony between modernization, civilization and culture." she said.

Coordinator: Li Fang

Proofread: Yang Ou

Planning: Shi Pengfei

Reporter: Zhan Huilan

Photography: Wen Lirong

Video editing: Pei Guobin and Zhou Fan

Special thanks: Yunnan Radio and Television, Kunming Radio and Television